<p>OPERATING PROCEDURE Florida State Hospital NO. 195-3 Chattahoochee, Florida August 6, 2010</p><p>Categorical Program Services</p><p>ANIMAL ASSISTED ACTIVITIES</p><p>1. Purpose: To provide guidelines for the use of animals in animal assisted activities and ensure the safety of residents, employees, handlers, and their animals.</p><p>2. Scope: This operating procedure applies to all units and departments involved in animal assisted activities, as well as owners of participating animals.</p><p>3. Training Requirements: Unit and departmental staff participating in the program, Hospital Infection Control, Unit Infection Control Nurses of participating units, and Environmental Specialists will be trained upon hire into the position during worksite education and by their supervisors when the operating procedure is revised.</p><p>4. Philosophy: Animal assisted activities involve the interaction between residents and a trained animal, along with its owner or handler with the aim of assisting resident adjustment. Animal assisted activities can be therapeutic. It can boost morale and foster a more positive resident environment; reduce stress; have a calming effect and relieve loneliness, grief, pain, and fear.</p><p>5. References:</p><p> a. Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 150-27, Stray Animal/Animal Bites.</p><p> b. Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 75-1, Resident Injury/Event Reporting.</p><p> c. Guidelines for Animal Assisted Intervention at Health Care Facilities. American Journal of Infection Control, March 2008, Volume 36, Number 2, pages 78-85.</p><p> d. Beck, A., Ketcher, A. A New Look at Animal Assisted Therapy. Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, 184: 414-421, 1984 (Medline).</p><p> e. Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), 2005 Service Animals and Pets.</p><p> f. Delta Society, Pet Partners Team Training Manual, Policies and Procedures, 7tth edition.</p><p>This operating procedure supersedes: Operating Procedure 195-3, dated August 14, 2008 Office of Primary Responsibility: Volunteer Services Distribution: Florida State Hospital Computer Network Users Operating Procedure 195-3 August 14, 2008</p><p>6. Procedure:</p><p> a. The Volunteer Coordinator shall:</p><p>(1) function as the Hospital’s liaison with the approved animal assisted activity program;</p><p>(2) coordinate visits with participating units and departments;</p><p>(3) ensure the pet program members meet all applicable requirements as Hospital volunteers;</p><p>(4) ensure a statement of agreement is signed between the Hospital and the pet program sponsoring agency, to include but not be limited to current animal health and behavioral requirements, Hospital provision for suitable visitation areas, staff presence during any pet visit; and</p><p>(5) ensure the program will use canines only, unless prior written administrative approval is received.</p><p> b. Participating units shall ensure:</p><p>(1) a clean suitable area is available for the animal assisted activity sessions;</p><p>(2) staff presence during the entire pet visitation period;</p><p>(3) no animal presence in any area where food is prepared, stored, or consumed;</p><p>(4) no contact between pets and owner/handlers and staff or residents who are allergic to animals/animal dander or may have animal phobias, or a dislike for animals;</p><p>(5) no contact between pets and owner/handlers and residents who have any history of animal abuse, or hallucinations involving precipitating injury to others;</p><p>(6) no contact between pets and owner/handlers and residents who have exposed areas of skin, neutropenia (neutrophils < 1000), HIV infections or immunocompromised deficiencies unless approved by the Hospital Clinical Director;</p><p>(7) immediate termination of the visit if the animal exhibits hair loss, wheezing, coughing, vomiting, or displays disruptive or aggressive behavior;</p><p>(8) completion of an incident report (Form 44) per Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 150-27 if a resident gets injured, i.e., bitten or scratched;</p><p>(9) notification of Housekeeping staff of any required disinfection process needed if an animal defecates, voids, drools, or vomits (the owner/handlers will have primary responsibility for initial clean-up);</p><p>(10) escort of any disruptive resident from the designated activity area; and</p><p>(11) ensure all residents with animal contact wash their hands or use an approved hand sanitizer. 2 Operating Procedure 195-3 August 14, 2008</p><p> c. The animal owner/handlers shall:</p><p>(1) abide by the policies and procedures of the sponsoring pet program and any statement of agreement between the Hospital and pet program;</p><p>(2) abide by the policies and procedures of the Pet Partners Program of the Delta Society to include animal health and animal behavioral requirements, leashes, clean-up, confidentiality, accident/occurrence reporting, owner/handler dress and identification badges;</p><p>(3) abide by the policies of Florida State Hospital regarding volunteers.</p><p>(4) provide Florida State Hospital Volunteer Coordinator with proof of current State of Florida vaccination records.</p><p>(Signed original on file in Central Health Information Services)</p><p>DIANE R. JAMES</p><p>Hospital Administrator </p><p>SUMMARY OF REVISED, ADDED, OR DELETED MATERIAL</p><p>Changes were made to training requirements to include Hospital Infection Control Nurses, Unit Infection Control Nurses, & Environmental Specialists. Animal owner/handler will now provide proof of current vaccination records. Attachment 1 (Statement of Agreement) and Attachment 2 (Delta Society Pet Partners Program Policies & Procedures) were deleted. </p><p>3 Operating procedure 195-3 August 6, 2010</p><p>2 Operating procedure 195-3 August 6, 2010</p><p>2 Operating procedure 195-3 August 6, 2010</p><p>2 Attachment 2 Attachment 2 Page 1 of 4 AttachmentPage 2 of 2 4 OperatingAttachment Procedure 2 195-3 PageOperating 4 of 4 Procedure 195-3 Page 3 of 4 Operating Procedure 195-3 Operating Procedure 195-3</p>